National Republican., 1887-03-14
what Is n Gentlemau?

Ihackeray thougut he Knew real gentle
man when he saw him, AMI also that he
knew how TO portray such Phenomenon.
But his Col. Newcome, after all, has so
many weak streaks mingled with his un-
doubted goodness that we are compelled to
pity rather than respect the gallant old SOL
der. There may be pity for the death OF q
hero, but there should be only admiration
for bis life.
In New York city, on Saturday morning,
died man OF whom we do not remember to
have read or heard until the announcement
of his death In yesterdays papers, but the
obituary comments, which we quote below
from the New York SIN, are sufficient to
rank him with those rare spirits, "touched
to finest Issues" the story Of whose pill.
crimage makes "undying music" in the
world.
Charles O'Connor, superintendent of the
Iewsboys' lodging house, position which
he had filed since he came to this country
in 1858, was born in Kerry, in the south Of
Ireland, and served throughout the Grimean
war as an officer In the British army. When
he died tie tribute which he deserved and
would have most appreciated came from
the lips Of newsboy:
"Mr. O'Connor was just like father TO all
Of u.s. said newsboy iu the audience room
of the lodging holse to Sun reporter last
night, land We feel mighty sorry that he Is
deGd. He knew all the boys names, anl
seemed 10 be interested in each one of us,
Every night he would come up here In the
audience room and give us n taik-nouo nf
your prayer-meetn' talks, but good, plain nj.
vice. lie made all tho boys keep clean aul
neat, and he used to come around him self ami
see that the beds aud rooms were kep. clean
and neat for us.
"At meal times he always saw that every.
body got enough tO ca; and he used to iavita
poor folks who didn't belong to the lodging
house in 10 eat too. lie ,pds an aWfN gGRc. O3
nan lie used to come arouli in the City
Hall park and get the boys to shine his bOois
five or six times before he went home He
would always pay II or 30 cents shine.
"when he bought II paper he paid . cents
for it, and he used to buy two or three ptp,rs
of q ieller and give 'em to the next fel!er who
came along. He used to get lots OF the boys
places out west on farms, and when he sent u
boy west he wouldn't forget ali about MIN bat
would write him anl ask how he was doing.
him, but he never bore grudge against one of
us, and he was an easy man to get along with.
When he made feller clear out, in two or
three days, If the ieller saw him on the stree,
and would run up aud ask him If he could
come back, and would promise not to cut 10
any more, the feller could most always get
back. He used to send lots OF tue b1ys to
school with his own money When q boy
got hard up he would lend him money, or
would trust him until he got work. We n9yer
had any fault to find with him, and it's going
10 be an awful hard thing TO fill his place lie
is going to be buried in Greenwood Oh Tuesday,
and as many of the fellers us can are going to
march behind his hcarse to the ferry"
When Carlyle sent a copy Of his "Fred
erick the Great" to Prince Bismarck he
received in acknowledgment more emo
tiopal letter than might have been expected
from the German chancellor. Among